


As Long As There Is Light We Have A Chance

by OrmondSacker



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Angst, Despair, Gen, Hope, Hope vs. Despair, failure - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-05-14 12:57:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5744671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrmondSacker/pseuds/OrmondSacker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After making his way off Jakku, losing BB-8 and the map in the process, Poe must return to the Resistance Base and face General Organa.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Long As There Is Light We Have A Chance

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I have no idea if there's a scene like this in the TFA novelization, but either way I felt compelled to write it.
> 
> Betaed by [Lucycantdance.](http://lucycantdance.tumblr.com)

Poe was jarred awake by a hand shaking his shoulder, jerking him out of his fitful sleep.

“Wake up Dameron, we're home.” Even sleep deprived and still in pain, from his wounds as well as Kylo Ren's Force-induced torture, Poe recognised Gir Sei'Lya's voice. Blinking, he looked up at the Bothan's black furred face.

“Thanks for the ride.”

“We were heading in your direction anyway,” she quipped and Poe tried to smile, but he knew it came off weak.

The aches and pains of his body bloomed as he rose to his feet. Gir and her Duros partner had done what they could with a medkit, but he still felt like... well, like he’d had a full day’s trek through a desert after the First Order and a Sith Lord worked him over, but more than the pain of his body burned the misery in his soul. It wasn’t because of the torture he’d received at Kylo Ren’s hand – even though the Sith Lord had broken him thoroughly – but because he had failed. Twice. First in bringing the map back to the Resistance and then, after that young Stormtrooper had helped him escape – _Finn, his name was Finn_ – he hadn't even managed to get BB-8 back. 

And Finn was most likely dead, a small hard voice whispered in the back of his head. 

Poe shook his head. No, he wouldn't think like that. 

He couldn't remember anything of the crash itself, but if Finn had ejected before he did he would have landed much further away and would probably have been unable to locate either Poe or their ship. Hopefully the young man had found his way to a settlement safely and was far away from the First Order by now. Poe wished him well. 

And BB-8? Poe sighed. The droid could be anywhere by now. Hopefully they was far away from the First Order as well. 

_I hope you're alright buddy, wherever you are._

He felt the shuttle settle onto the landing platform and sighed.

The landing ramp lowered, letting the sweet air of D'Qar into the shuttle, but Poe barely noticed it as the opening revealed the tiny form of General Organa standing on the landing platform. She was looking straight at him, her arms folded and her features unclear thanks to the glare of the sun at her back. He couldn't remember the last time he had wanted to hide this much.

Gathering his courage he went down the ramp and stopped in front of her.

“Poe, you look terrible.”

A quip died on his tongue, to be replaced with a heavy sigh. He looked straight into her eyes.

“I failed you, General. I'm sorry.”

Touching his arm, she signalled for him to follow her.

“Tell me.”

“Lors gave me the map, but before I could leave the First Order attacked. I gave BB-8 the map and told him to run. Then... I was captured.”

“So BB-8 has the map.”

“Yes.” He licked his lips and looked down at the pavement at his feet. “And the First Order knows that too.”

He felt General Organa's eyes on him like a weight bearing him down.

“I broke... under interrogation. Fortunately the map was all they asked about, they seemed interested in little else.”

A hand on his arm stopped him.

“Poe, no one has infinite strength. And until we have confirmation that the First Order has the map there's hope.”

He swallowed, pushing his pain aside. She was right. There was no reason to think they were beaten yet and BB-8 had always been resourceful, if any droid could make it back to the base on its own, it was them.

“Do you have any idea where BB-8 might be?”

He shook his head. If he'd had one, he would have gone after the droid rather than head back to base.

“They would have given up on me long before I made my way to a settlement. BB-8 knew how important that the map is, and been long off Jakku if not captured. But where they went...”

He shrugged.

“I'll tell Colonel Rieekan to alert all her agents to be on the lookout. When BB-8 surfaces, we'll know.”

She stepped back and gave him an evaluating look.

“And you get someone to look at you before you fall over, you look horrible.”

“Yes, General.”

He watched as she made her way towards the Command bunker, then turned and headed for Medical. He wouldn't dare disobey a direct order from General Organa.

As he walked, he felt a weight lift from his chest. The First Order might be hunting for his friend, but now so was the Resistance. He was alive and free, which was more than he had thought possible a few days ago.

The general was right, there wasn't cause for despair, they had beaten longer odds and so had the Rebellion before them. Until they knew for certain that they had lost the map he would not relinquish hope.

**Author's Note:**

> If you feel compelled to yell at me for this, or just want to talk, you can find me at [the-name-is-finn.tumblr.com](http://the-name-is-finn.tumblr.com)


End file.
